Strategies for Equitable Family Engagement: Meaningfully Involving and Engaging Families and Trusted Community Advocates
Robust family engagement in schools positively affects student growth, improves test scores, and enhances the overall vibrancy and success of a school.
– Jessica Lander
INTRO
Trusted community advocates can help build connections between community members and school staff, as well as build knowledge around educational activities occurring outside of school. School and district leaders may consider the following strategies for meaningfully involving trusted community advocates to enhance family engagement.
OBJECTIVES
- Review the strategies for involving and engaging families/trusted community advocates
- Reflect on your school’s areas of strength and areas for improvement in regards to involvement/engagement strategies
- Brainstorm an improvement plan for your commitment to involving and engaging families/trusted community advocates in meaningful ways
Meaningfully Involving and Engaging Families and Trusted Community Advocates
Offer structures to listen to families.
In addition to self-reflection and professional development, teachers, school leaders, and district staff may benefit from intentional structures that allow them to practice listening to families over time. In many schools, communication may be primarily initiated by the teacher; however, schools that establish regular listening sessions with families can help teachers improve their listening and relational skills with families and the community.
Engage family members and community members in ongoing and recurring efforts.
For families that have not yet built trust and communication with school staff, it can be challenging or intimidating to become more involved. Schools and districts can partner with family or community members to help bridge the divide, using trusted members of the community to help translate and share key messages and support effective communication.
Schools and districts can also ask family or community members to serve as interpreters or facilitators during meetings or after-school events. Schools and districts can also create formal structures, such as a family-led advisory committee, to help school staff learn more about how to best create a shared understanding and system of support between the school and the community.
TIPS
- This is one part of the complete Strategies for Equitable Family Engagement; there are 5 total areas—we recommended reviewing and working on these strategies within your leadership team—or better yet, a family and community engagement team. Once everyone understands the complete strategy, each area can be spearheaded by a different individual or smaller team.
- Strategies for Equitable Family Engagement: Making a Commitment to Equitable Family Engagement
- Strategies for Equitable Family Engagement: Making Equitable Family Engagement “Business as Usual”
- Strategies for Equitable Family Engagement: Building Relationships Between Staff and Families
- Strategies for Equitable Family Engagement: Meaningfully Involving and Engaging Families and Trusted Community Advocates
- Strategies for Equitable Family Engagement: Engaging Outside of the School Building
Responses